Flow meter having axially movable orifice



June 13,1961 A. J. HILDENBRANDT, JR 2,987,915

FLOW METER HAVING AXIALLY MOVABLE ORIFICE Filed Dec. 12, 1956 INVENTOR. AUGUST J. HILDENBRANDT JR. Z /VW ATTORNEY.

FLOW METER HAVING AXIALLY MOVABLE ORIFICE August J. Hildenbrandt, Jr., Scotch Plains, N.J., assignor to Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 12, 1956, Ser. No. 627,896 2 Claims. (Cl. 73-211) The general object of my present invention is to provide a flow meter which is of novel construction and is broadly characterized by its mechanical simplicity and low inherent construction cost. My novel flow meter is characterized by its aligned inlet and outlet tubes which have their adjacent ends spaced apart, and is also characterized by a longitudinally movable tubular element with inlet and outlet end portions loosely surrounding the adjacent ends of the respective inlet and outlet tubes, and is further characterized by flexible non-metallic material connecting each end of said tubular element to the adjacent inlet or outlet tube.

A better understanding of the present invention may be had from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

The drawing shown herein by way of illustration and example, is a diagrammatic representation in longitudinal cross section of a desirable embodiment of the present invention.

The flow meter constituting the present invention comprises: a pair of aligned tubes 1 and 2 having their adjacent, open ends spaced apart; and a tubular, coupling element 3 loosely surrounding the ends of the aligned tubes. Each of the tubes '1 and 2 is surrounded by a corresponding, metallic, shell member 4 open at its end adjacent the open end of the other shell member 4. An end wall portion 5 in the form of a disc surrounds and is attached to each shell member 4 and to the adjacent tube 1 or 2. Each shell or chamber member 4 is coaxial with, and has a diameter appreciably greater than, the external diameter of the tubular element 3. As shown, the tubes 1, 2, and the elements 3 are coaxial. Annular spaces are provided between the adjacent ends of the aligned tubes 1 and 2 and the surrounding portions of the tubular elements 3. Separate annular spaces are provided between the ends of the outer surfaces of the elements 3 and the inner surfaces of the adjacent shell or chamber members 4. Each of a pair of disc-shaped end portions 5 connect that end of the shell or chamber element 4 which is remote from the other shell or chamber element to the tube 1 or 2.

Each end of either tubular element 3 is connected to the surrounding, coaxial wall of shell or chamber member 4 by a flexible, non-metallic diaphragm 6 of U-shape in cross section. Said diaphragms may well be formed of leather, plastic or other elastic material. An outer edge portion of each diaphragm 6 engages, and is rigidly attached to, the inner wall of the corresponding shell member 4. An inner edge portion of each diaphragm 6 bears against, and is attached to, the adjacent, outer end portion of the tubular element 3. The end edges of each diaphragm 6 face away from the end edges of the other. The tubular element 3 is shown as formed with a rigid, central, transverse disc 7 having a central aperture 8 coaxial with the member 3 and smaller in diameter than the tubes 1 and 2. The central aperture 8 in the disc 7 is tapered to make the diameter of the edge of the aperture facing the tube 2 larger than the diameter of the edge of the aperture adjacent the tube 1.

The portions of the flexible, non-metallic diaphragms 6, attached to the inner surface of the corresponding membets 4 and attached to the outer surface of the adjacent end portions of the element 3, are of such relative extents as to permit the tubular element 3 to move longitudinally of the tubes 1 and 2 between the low end and the high end positions 10 and 11, respectively, of a stationary scale alongside the tubular element 3. An index arm 9, extending radially outward away from the tubular element 3', is in register with the zero scale mark 10, when the pressures in the pipes 1 and 2 are substantially equal. As the fluid pressure in the member 1 increases relative to the pressure in the tube 2, the index 9 moves to the right and may be eventually brought into register with the high scale end point 11.

The flowmeter may be mounted with the axis of the tubes 1 and 2 and of the tubular element 3 vertical and with the tube 1 lowermost. In such case, the tubular element 3 is biased by gravity toward tube 1.

However, the flow meter may be mounted as shown in the drawing with the axis of the tubes 1 and 2 and of the tubular element 3 horizontal. In such case, the tubular element 3 is biased for axial movement into the position in which the index 9 is in register with the zero scale mark 10 by a spring 12. The latter has one end connected to a radial projection 13 from the tubular element 3 nearer to the tube 2 than to the tube 1 and has its other end connected to a stationary projection or abutment 14, shown as nearer to the tube '1 than to the tube 2. To insure uniform operation and the maintenance of the axis of the cylinder 3 in substantial axial alignment with the tubes 1 and 2, use may be made of a plurality of springs 12 distributed about the common axis of the tubes 1 and 2 and tending to hold the axis of the tubular element 3 in alignment with the common axis of the tubes 1 and 2.

What is claimed is:

1. A flow meter including, in combination: first and second tubes having adjacent, spaced apart, coaxial, end portions; an axially movable tubular element having end portions larger in diameter than and loosely surrounding and telescopically movable relative to said tubes; a flexible sealing connection comprising a sheet of flexible material having an inner cylindrical portion attached to one end of said tubular element, an outer cylindrical portion surrounding and spaced outwardly away from said inner portion and attached to the end of one of said tubes, and an intermediate portion U-shaped in transverse cross section integrally connecting said inner and outer portion and attached to and engaged by the outer surface of said tubular element and by the inner surface of said one of said tubes; a disc interposed between adjacent ends of said tubes and extending across and having its periphery attached to said tubular element and formed with a central orifice; resilient means biasing said tubular element for movement into an initial position in which said orifice is relatively close to said first tube and subject to movement toward said second tube by fluid discharged under pressure from said first tube into said second tube; and means for measuring the extent of movement of said tubular element away from said initial position.

2. A flow meter comprising, in combination: first and second tubes having adjacent, spaced-apart, coaxial, end portions; an axially movable tubular element having end portions larger in diameter than and loosely surrounding and telescopically movable relative to said tubes; a flexible sealing connection between each end of said tubular element and the end of the adjacent tube; a disc interposed between the adjacent ends of the tubes and extending across and having its periphery attached to said tubular element and formed with a central orifice; resilient means biasing said tubular element for movement into an initial position in which said orifice is relatively close to the first tube and subject to movement toward said second Patented June .13,

tube by fluid discharged under pressure from said first tube into said second tube, means for measuring the extent of movement of said tubular element away from said initial position, and a pair of cuprshaped shells or chamber elements each having an apertured end portion surrounding and rigidly connected to one of said tubes and having a tubular portion larger in diameter than said tubular element and extending away from said end portion and surrounding and spaced outwardly away from said tubular element, said flexible sealing connection having a smaller inner portion and a larger outer portion, and means for securing the smaller inner portion of said flexible sealing connection to the outer side of the adjacent end portion of said tubular element and for securing the larger outer portion of said flexible sealing connection to the inner side of the adjacent cup-shaped shell or chamber element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schiske Ian. 15, 1929 Trogner Aug. 18, 1931 Stanley Aug. 22, 1933 Wotring Feb. 25, 1936 Chilton Nov. 7, 1939 Sauz-edde Oct. 29, 1.940 Karig Ian. 23,, 1.951

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Feb. 19, 1936 OTHER REFERENCES Publication-"Instruments, vol. 22, pp. 402404, May- 

